Means for transport.



J. W. CLOUD.

MEANS OF TRANSPORT. urmouxon FILED AUG. 26, 1908.

Patented N0v.12,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.WITNESSES: INVE TOR.

- S2,). A TTORNEY IN FACT.

J. W. CLOUD.

MEANS 0]? TRANSPORT.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 26, 1908. 1,044,022., Patented N0v.12,1912.

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WIT? SSES: Q' gfk. M 4 f x ATTORNEY 11v man J.'W. CLOUD. MEANS 0?TRANSPORT.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 26, 1908.

1,044,022- Patented Nov. 12, 1912'.

- SSHEETS-SHEET 3.

5* .& WITNESS 5: f8 few gwole.

5%, ATTORNEY INFACT.

-be exceedingly dangerous. i kind referred to are developed in anyvepivrrnn s'ra'rns Parana OFFIQE.

MEANS OF TRANSPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1908. Serial No. 450,364.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLS CLOUD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of London, England, have made a new and usefulInvention in Means and the like and in particular it relates to suchmeans of transport as are provided with rotary mechanism of any kindsuch as propelling devices.

It is Well known that when the orientation of the axis of a rotatingbody is changed stresses are developed which vary with the angularvelocity of rotation, the .moment'of inertia of the body with respect tothe axis of rotation, and the angular velocity with which the directionof the axis is changed. These stresses, if unbalanced, give rise to veryconsiderable inconveniences and in some cases the deflecting forces thusproduced may Stresses of the hicletor means of transport having rotatingmechanism when it is steered for example,

or in the case of a ship upon the water when it pitches or alters itscourse under the in fiuence of the waves. In fitting propelling devicesto ships it has already been proposed or practised to rotate similarengine shafts or propellers on the same as well'as on parallel axes inopposite directions, but even when this is done the violent anddangerous vibrations which occur when the orientation of the axes ofrotation is rapidly changed shows that either the counter-balancing isincomplete or that the framing between the parallel shafts is notsufficiently rigid or both. Similarly propelling devices have beenfitted to vehicles for aerial navigation with shafts and propellers onthe same and on parallel axes rotated in opposite directions in pairs,but recent occurrences of overturning of air ships when this arrangementhas been employed and when the change of direction has been made moresuddenly than usual show that the rotating masses are not all properlycounterbalanced. It has also been proposed to protect automobiletorpedoes against errors in direction occasioned by the gyroscopicaction of the rotating parts by employing'such rotating parts in equalpairs and by gearing them together so that they rotate in oppositedirections. This arrangement, however, is for a purpose which,

as will be hereinafter seen, is not the same as that of my invention,and it is only applicable when the driving mechanism is use in pairs. Ithas also been proposed inmotor vehicles where energy is storedinrotating masses such as fly-wheels to rotate such masses in a directionopposite to the direction of rotation of some of the road wheels, forexample inmotor bicycles it has been proposed to gear the crank shaft tothe driving wheel in such a manner that they rotate in oppositedirections, whereby the gyroscopic action of the fly-wheel of the motordoes not affect the steering of the vehicle. Also in motor drivenvehicles such as tramcars and =.others, rotary masses, such as motorarmatures, have heretofore been employed which are geared to the wheelsso as to turn in opposite direction thereto; these, however, do notfulfil the conditions which my invention satisfies. According to myinvention I fully balance all rotating parts in vehicles oftransportation where changes in direction must occur and I do notconfine the method of doing so to the employment of equal drivingmechanisms in pairs, but I provide means for balancing otherwise. I dothis by counter-bat ancing the deflecting forces which would otherwisebe set up by the employment of another mass or masses rotating in anopposite direction and having equal deflecting forces in the o positedirection so that the sum of such de ecting forces is substantiallyZero.

' In some cases it is best and most convenient to arrange the counterbalan-cing masses to rotate about the same axis as the masses to bebalanced, in other cases it may be better and more convenient to arrangethe ratemfean 12, 1912.

rotating masses on two or more parallel axes, the shafts being mountedin a rigid frame and geared together or otherwise so arranged that aconstant ratio of speed is maintained between them. In both cases 1"provide that the deflecting forces of the system rotating in onedirection are counterbalanced by the deflecting forces of the systemrotating in the opposite direction so that thesum of such deflectingforces developed when any angular motion is given to the axes ofrotation When two such adjacent parallel shafts with the masses carriedthereby are supported in a frame and are rotated in opposite direcis'substantially zero..

tions with a constant speed ratio, the de- 1 deflecting forces; and Fig.6 is a plan view showing diagrammatically the propell ng fleeting forcesdeveloped in one shaft and its attached mass'by any change in thedirection of the axes of the shafts is partly balanced by the oppositedeflecting forces developed in the other shaft and its attached massrotating in the opposite direction. There has, however, been no attemptmade hitherto, so far as I am aware, to fully counterbalance thesesystems in vehicles of transportation where change in direction mustoccurby the employment of such masses, or such a ratio of speeds or suchradii of gy'ration or a combination of them as will make the resultantforces substantially equal to zero. Where the frame is fixed in positionno deflecting forces are developed, but in the case of a movable system,such as upon a vehicle of transportation or of'tlight or in any casewhere the direction of the axis of rotation is changed during rotation,important deflecting forces are developed which it is the object of myinvention to counterbalance. For example, in the case of aerialnavigation, it is a primary condition of successful operation that thedeflecting forces of all rotating masses are evenly counterbalanced.

Similarly in the case of a ship upon the water it is important that thesum of defleeting forces should at all times be substantially zero.

The eflecting force of a rotating mass when the direction of the axis ischanged is proportional to the mass multiplied by the square of theradius of gyration multiplied by the angular velocity of rotation-and bythe angular velocity of change of axis; consequently if two masses uponthe same vehicle are rotating in opposite directions about the same orparallel axes with a constant speed ratio, by suitably arranging themasses and the radii of gyration respectively the deflecting forces maybe accurately balanced.

In the drawings accompanying this application and forming a partthereof, I have illustrated several embodiments of my invention.

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic side elevation (portions of the apparatusbeing shown in section for convenience of description) of the propellingapparatus of a vessel; Fig. 2 is a View, partly in elevation and partlyin section, of an electric motor operatively connected to a pair ofco-axial wheels of a railway truck; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of theapparatus shown in Fig. 2; Fig. t is a plan View of aniotoi' driven pairof railway traversing wheels in which the shaft of the.

driving motor is parallel but not concentric with the axle of thewheels; Fig. 5 is a plan view of an ar 'angcment similar to Fig. r inwhich additional rotating masses are employed for the sake ofcounterbalancing the larly to Fig. l: The propeller shaft 1 of a.

vessel is provided with a propeller 2 and is directly connected to theshaft of a turbinc 3, which is shown in outline and which may be one ofany type. The rotor element of the turbine is journaled in bearings 5which are located at each end of the turbine casingv and the propellershaft- 1 is provided with bearings 6 suitably disposed along the shaft.

A cylindrical mass 7 is rotatably mounted on the propeller shaft 1 andis adapted to counterbalance or counteract the deflecting forces'whichmay be caused by the gyrostatic action of a portion of the propellershaft and also of the propeller. This mass is mounted between adjacentbearings 6 and is provided with ball bearings which journal on theshaft 1. A beveled gear 1) is mounted .on or integrally formed withthemass 7 and is driven, by the shaft, through beveled gears 10.and 11, inan opposite direction to the rotation of the shaft. Thcgear 11 isrigidly mounted upon the shaft. The beveled gears illustrated in thedrawings are adapted to drive the mass 7 at the' same speed as theshaft, consequently the mass is so proportioned that its moment ofinertia is approximately equal to the moment of inertia of the propellerand the portion of the shaft 1 to be gyrostatically counterbalanced byit An electric motor 12 is mounted on the propeller shaft 1 and islocated adjacent to one of the turbine bearings and between it and oneof the bearings (i. The'rotor element of'the motor is rotatably mountedby means of ball bearings on the shaft 1 and is adapted to rotate atsuch a speed as to counterbalance the gyrostatic deflecting forces ofthe remainder of the propeller shaft, and possibly a portion of thegyrostatic act-ion of the turbine rotor. If necessary, additional massmay be attached to the rotor element of the motor. The motor is assimple in construction as possible and is preferably a synchronousmotor, receiv ing current from a small generator driven from the shaft.Such an arrangement will adjust the speed of the motor to the speed ofthe shaft, but any type of motor may be employed and the current may besupplied from any suitable source. I

A counterbalancing, fluid-impelled -rot-or element 14 is provided withinthe turbine casing. This element is provided with peripherally mountedturbine blades and is -rotatably mounted, by means of ball bearings, onthe shaft of the turbine. Fluid "nozzles 15 are provided in the turbinecas- 'ing and are arranged to deliver high pressure motive fiuid fromthe main supplying the turbine to the blades of the element 1 1. Thenozzles 15 and the blades of the element "1 are so arranged that't-heelement is driven .in an opposite direction to the turbine rotor. Thisdesirable to have the weight of the counterhalancing masses as low as iscompatible with (obtaining the requisite 1110-- ment of inertia and, inorder to keep these masses small, the velocity of rotation eniployed maybe made higher than the velocity of rotation of the masses to becounterbalanced.

Although I have shown a number of arrangements for balancing the entirepropeller shaft and its; attached rotary masses (such as the turbinerotor and the propeller) it will he understood that a single mass may beemployed for balancing the deflecting forces 'of the entire propellingsystem, or

that several devices of the same character may be disposed along thelength of the. shaft, even on one or more shafts ex tending parallel tothe propelling shaft.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3; a number of driving Wheels 16 are rigidlysecured to an axle 17 and are adapted tobe driven by an electric-motor18. The field magnets 19 of the motor are supported and prevented fromrotating in any suitable manner. The armature 20 is mounted on a sleeve21,.which surrounds the axle 17 and which is provided with suitablebearings supported by the frame portion of the motor. A gear 22 isprovided on the sleeve 21 and meshes with a pinion 23, which is mountedon the frame portion of the motor and which, in turn, meshes with aninternal gear 24, rigidly secured to one of the wheels 16. This drivinggear is duplicated at each end of the shaft so that each wheel ispositively driven by the motor. It will readily be seen that the rotaryelement 20 of themetor, the sleeve 21 and the gear 22 rotate in onedirection, while thegears 24 and the driving wheel 16 rotate in theother direction.

The masses of the rotating elements are so proportioned with regard totheir relative velocities and their respective radii of gyration, thatthe deflecting forces developed in the elements rotating in onedirection, by

an angular movementof the axle 17,.are counterbalanced by the deflectingforces developed in the elements rotating in the op posite direction.

In the case of a railway vehicle, to which tor is indicated in dottedlines at 25, and

while it is parallel to, it is not coaxial with the axle 17. The motordrives the axle 17 through gears 26 and 27 in the ordinary manner. Inthis instance the rotor element of the motor with its spindle and thegear 26 rotate in one direction while the wheels 16, the axle 1? antgear :27 rotate in the other direction. The dimensions and thedisposition of the masses of the oppositely rotating parts are arrangedso that the deflecting forces acting on the spindle 25 are equal andopposite to the deflecting forces acting on the axle 17 when angularmotion is imparted transmitted to the spindle -25.

as fly-wheels) which are rotatably mounted on and are concentric withthe axle 17. The fly-wheel 27 is located adjacent to one oi the wheels16 and is driven through a spur gearing 29 from the motor shaft 25. Theother flywheel 28 is located adjacent to the other wheel 17 and isdriven from the motor shaft 25 by means of a chain and wheels 30. Thesefly-wheels are, has been stated, rotatably mounted on the axle 17 andhave such moments of inertia and are driven at such velocities, in theopposite direction to the direction of rotation of the wheels 16,thatthey reduce the gyrostatic, deflecting forces developed by theaxlel"- and the Wheel 16, to an amount substantially equal to thatdeveloped by the gyrostalic action of the rotating elements of themotor. (lonsequeutly the sum total of all the gyroslalic deflectingforces due to the nmsscs mounted on the spindle and the axle will beequal. to zero and the system will ,be in gyrcstatic equilibrium.

In Fig. (l I have diagrammatically illustrated the propelling apparatusof a flying machine. The propeller shaft 31 of the machineis connectedto parallel shafts 33 and 34 by the respective gears 35 and 36, whichmesh with a gear I)? mounted on the shaft 31, and both the shafts 33 androtate in an opposite direction to the shaft. 31. The propeller,shaftmaybe driven by a suitable engine, which I have indicated by therectangle at 38. It may be necessary to gyrocuring a cylindrical mass 39to each of the shafts 33 and 34. If desired, the cylindrical masses 33and 34 may be replaced by suitable engines which are directly connectedto the respective shafts 33 and 34 and which drive the shafts in theopposite direction to the direction of rotation of the shaft 31.

According to the present invention the moment of inertia of the threeshafts and the masses which rotate with them on the same axesrespectively and theveloeities of rotation of the shafts are soproportioned that the sum of the deflecting forces developed by thethree shafts, when an angular motion is imparted to the axes, will beequal to zero.

Any of the methods hereinbefore describe may be employed for increasingor diminishing the deflecting forces developed by the shaft in order toobtainthe desired-equilibrium of the. gyrostatic deflecting forces ofthe system; that is to say, masses such as fly-whcels may be mounted onany one of the parallel shafts in order to increase the moment ofinertia of the system rotating in the direction of the shaft, or massesmay be rotatably mounted on any one of the shafts and rotated in theopposite direction, as has been described with reference to Fig. 5, inorder to diminish the effect of the deflecting forces developed by thesystem rotating in the same direction as the shaft. 7"

What I claim is:

1. The method of eounterbalancing the deflecting forces developed bytherot-a'ting mass included in the driving mechai'iism of vehicles oftransport whenever an angular motion is given to the axis of rotation ofsaid mass as when changes in direction of movementot" the 'vehicleoccur, which consists in counterluilancmg the deflecting forcesdeveloped by such mass by opposing the same with equal deflecting forcesdeveloped by an unlike mass rotating synchronously therewith in anopposite direction.-

2. The method of eounterbalancing the deflecting forces developed byt-hc rotating mass included in the driving mechanism ,of vehicles oftransport whenever an angular ,motion is given to the axis rotation ofsad mass, as when changes in direction of movement of the vehicle occur,which consists in counterlmlaneing the deflecting forces developed bysuch mass by opposing the same with equal deflecting forces developedby'an' unlike mass rotating synchronously therewith about. the same axisin an opposite direction.

3. In vehicles of transport having driving mechanisn" employing arotating mass and in which changes in direction of movement of thevehicle necessarily occur, means for counterbalaneing the deflectingforces developed by-such mass whenever an angu a driving mechanismemploying a rotating mass, of means employing an unl ke mass rotating ina direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the mass of thedriv ing mechanism but synchronously therewith about the same axis,whereby, the deflecting forces developed by the mass of the driving"mechanism are counterbalanced.

5. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direct on of movement ofthe .vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a, drivingmechanism employing a rotat-mg mass, of means employing an unlike massrotating in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of themass of the driving mechanism but synchronously therewith about the sameaxis, whereby the deflecting forces developed by the mass of 'thedriving mechanism whenever an angular motion "is given to its axisofrotation are counterbalanced.

.6. In vehiclesof transport in which changes in direction of movement ofthe vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a driving mechanismemploying a rq; tating mass, of means employing an unlike mass rotatedin a direction opposite to the direction-of rotation of the mass oftherdriving mechanism synchronously therewith and at such speeds as willcounterbalance the deflecting forces developed by the mass, of

the driving mechanism.

7. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movement ofthe vehicle necessarily occur the combination with a driving mechani smemploying a 1'0- tating mass, ofmeans employing an unlike mass rotatedin a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of themass of thedriving mechanism synchronously therewith and at such speeds as willcounterbalance the deflecting forces developed by the mass of thedriving mechanism whenever angular motion is given to its axis ofrotation.

8. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction ofmovement ofthe vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a driving mechanismemploying a rotating mass, of a synchronous motor'having its rotorrotated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of thedriving mechani'sm but about the same axis whereby the deflectingt'orcesdeveloped by the driving mechanism are counterbalanced.

9. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movementofithe vehicle necessarily occurythe combination a roof the drivingmechanism whenever an an gular motion is terbalanced. v

lOfIn vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movement ofthe vehicle necessarily occur the combination with a driving mechanismemploying a rotating mass, of a. synchronous motor having its rotorrotated'in a direction opposite to the direct-ion of rotation of thedriving mechagiven to its axis are counnism at suchspecds aswillcounterbalance the deflecting forces developed by the mass of thedriving mechanism. p 11.. In vehicles of transport in which changes indirection of movement of the vehicle necessarily occur, the combinationwith a driving mechanism employing a rotating mass, of means employing amass rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation ofthe mass of the driving mechanismbut about the same axis and asynchronous motor having its rotor rotated in a direction opposite tothe direction of To tation of the driving mechanism but about the sameaxis whereby the deflecting forces developed by the driving mechanismare counterbalanced.

12. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movementof the vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a drivingmechanism employing a rotating" mass,'of means employing a mass rotatlng1n a direction opposite to the direct on of rotation of the drivingmechanism and a synchronous motor having its rotor rotated in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of the driving mechanismwhereby the deflecting forces developed by the driving mechanismwhenever an angular motion is given to its axis of rotation are counterbalanced.

13. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movementof the vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a drivingmechanism employing a'rotating mass, of means employing a mass rotatingin a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the drivingmechanism and a synchronous motor having its rotor rotated in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of the mass of thedriving mechanism at such speeds as will counterbalance the deflectingforces developed by the mass of the driving mechanism. 7

let. In vehicles of transport in which changes in direction of movementof the vehicle necessarily occur, the combination with a steam turbine,of an unlike mass loosely mounted upon the same shaft as the rotor ofthe turbine, means for rotating said mass in a direction opposite to thedirection of rotation ofthe turbine and in synchronism therewith wherebythe deflecting forces devcloped by the turbine, are counterbalanced.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name JOHN WILLSCLOUD. r

Witnesses:

Oscar J. If. Tnonrn, ALAN S. HAoKWooo.

